Machine for opening and cleaning cotton and other fibrous materials



Apr. E7, 1923. N

I H. WILKINSON MA'CHINE FOR OPENING AND CLEANING COTTON AND OTHER FIBROUS MATERIALS Filed DeC. 28, 1921 2 Shets-Sheet l Apr. 3?, H923. I H. WILKENSON MACHINE FOR OPENING AND CLEANINGCOTTON AND OTHER FIBROUS MATERIALS Filed Dec. 28, 1921 2 SheetsSheet 2 31/ owe/MW 6/ www WM xiv-TY,

Patented Apr. 17, 1923.

HENRY WILKINSON, OF OLDHAM,

ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR OF BROTHERS AND COMPANY LIMITED, OF

ONE-HALF TO PLAT'I' OLDHAM', ENGLAND.

MACHINE FOR OPENING AND CLEANING COTTON AND OTHER FIBROUS MATERIALS.

Application filed December 28, 1921.

To all whom it may concern:

e it known that I, HENRY VVILKINSoN,

a subject of the King of Great Britain and Ireland, residing at 500 Highfield Terrace, Barrowshaw, Cldham, in the county of Lancaster, England, have invented new and useful Improvements in Machines for Opening and Cleaning Cotton and Other Fibrous Materials, of which the following is a speci fication.

The invention relates to machines used for opening and cleaning cotton and other fibrous materials and particularly to the machine known as the lattice feedingmachine. This machine is provided with a porcupine cylinder, of 24 inchdiameter in some machines, although the diameter varies with different makes of machine.

The porcupine cylinder is arranged to feed a Creighton opener, or a Creighton cylinder part in an exhaust opener combination, or to feed to dust trunks in an exhaust opener combination, or direct to an exhaust opener. 1

In this lattice feeding machine it has been usual to have cleaning bars arranged as a grid around about one quarter of the circumference of the porcupine cylinder. In my invention I carry the grid bars around three quarters of the circumference of the porcupine cylinder. For instance the grid bars are carried from immediately below the feed, which is practically on a horizontal plane to the axis of the cylinder, up to the top centre, or vertical plane. The grid bars for the final quarter of the circumference of the cylinder I arrange at an opposite angle to the other bars which provide the first half of the circumference representing the bars from the feed inlet to a point about diametrically opposite. I also, under my invention, arrange the outlet for the cotton or other fibre on the same side as the feed, and not on the opposite side as is the usual practice. This outlet is a trunk which is formed with a return bend preferably at a downward angle and this return bend in the trunk may feed to a Creighton opener alongside the lattice feeding machine. Or the trunk may feed to a reighton opener in any desired position. When feeding to a Creighton cylinder part in an exhaust opener combination, a valve may be arranged in Serial No. 525,414.

the trunk as is now the practice, so that the fibre may be directed to the exhaust opener and so miss the creighton if desired.

The feed may be to' dust trunks in an exhaust opener combination, or direct to an exhaust opener or to any arrangement of exhaust fan with or without cages.

In conjunction with the upper portion of the grid bars arranged around the cylinder I also arrange for air currents to pass through an opening to act in conjunction with the porcupine cylinder, to feed the fibre forward. lVith an outlet for the fibre arranged to deliver into a trunk at the same side as the feed the direction of rotation of the cylinder will also assist in feeding forward the fibre through the trunk.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate the invention:

Fig. 1 shows a sectional side elevation of a lattice feeding machine with the invention applied thereto.

Fig. 2 on a smaller scale illustrates such a lattice feeding machine feeding the fibre to a Creighton opener, and

Fig. 3 is a. plan view of Fig. 2.

In the machine illustrated, the fibre is fed by the endless lattice a and by the feed rollers Z), to the porcupine cylinder 0 which may be of 24 inches or other required diameter. The cleaning or grid bars (Z are under this invention carried round about three quarters of the circumference of the cylinder from the feed rollers Z) up to the top centre of the cylinder 0 as shown in Fig. 1. As shown in this ure the grid bars for about the final quarter of the series are disposed at an opposite angle to the first half leading from the feed rollers Z). The outlet at for the fibre is at the same side as the feed, the outlet (5' being connected to a trunk e which, as shown more clearly in Fig. 2, is formed or provided with a return bend f at a-downward angle feeding the fibre to a Creighton opener g, alongside the lattice feeding machine. The

return bend f is provided with a valve it pivoted at i and the outlet trunk j of the Creighton opener, is also provided with a valve is pivoted at m, in accordance with present practice. In the position of the valves h, is shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2 the fibre is fed to the Creighton opener but by swinging the valves on their pivots as indicatedin the dotted lines, the fibre may miss the Creighton opener and be directed through the trunk j to an exhaust opener or the like. At the top porcupine cylinder I provide an air inlet 0. Air is induced into the casing by the rotary movement of the porcupine cylinder assisting to remove the dirt passing through the grid bars and deposit it within the casing.

The air is also induced through the grid bars at the topmost portion thereof as shown by the arrows Fig. l, to assist in feeding the fibre forwardl By thus admitting air at the upper portion of the grid the remaining portion can be used to its maximum capacity for theoutlet of the various impurities in the fibre under treatment.

The holders I use for the grid bars are those patented by me under British Patent No. 164% of 1914 which have a gradually diminishing width in which the grid bars rest and which determines the angle of the grid. bar in relation to the strikers on the porcupine cylinder in the various positions round the cylinder, the holders being fitted with. adjustable spacing blocks allowing the suitable spacing of the grid bars.

I declare that What I claim is:

1.. In machines havin a down stroke porcupine cylinder, used for opening and cleaning cotton and other fibrous materials, the combination withsuch cylinder of cleaning barsarranged to commence at the feed rollers of the machine and to extend around tln'ee-quarters of the circumference of the cylinder, the grid bars for the final quarter of the circumference being arranged at an opposite angle to the other portion of the grid bars, to provide an outlet for the fibre of the casing a of the three quarters of-the circumference of the cylinder, the grid bars for the final quarter of the circumference being arranged at an opposite angle to the other portionof the grid bars, to provide an outlet for the fibre on the same side as and above the feed, and having an air opening atthe top of the casing of the machine substantially as described.

3. In machines cupine cylinder, used ing cotton and other combination with such having a down stroke 'porfor opening and cleanfibrous. materials, the cylinder of cleaning bars arrangedto commence at the feed rollers oi? the machine and to extend around three quarters of the circumference of the cylinder, the grid bars for the final quarter of the circumference being arranged at an opposite angle to the other portion of the grid bars, to provide an outlet for the fibre on the same side as and above the feed, and having an air opening at the top of the easing of the machine, and, a trunk into'which the fibre is fed said trunk being formed with a return bend arranged at a downwar angle to feed the fibre to cotton opening machiner i substantially as described.

In testimony whereof- I have signed my name to this specification.

HENRY WILKINSON; 

